A closer look at those USCT monuments and markers

In the poll, from earlier today, I asked readers how many monuments and markers there are, that interpret the story of the USCTs. Based on the monuments/markers uploaded to the Historical Markers Database, there are 115 (using “USCT” in the search engine), and 161 (using the phrase “colored troops” in the search engine).

According to the Historical Markers Database… where all those monuments and markers are, using “colored troops” as the search phrase…

I took both lists and compiled them, eliminating duplicates. I then went through this new list and weeded out markers in which neither “USCT” or “Colored Troops” appeared. It seems the search engine picked-up on secondary information on the Historical Markers Database pages, for the respective markers. Inevitably, this whittled the list down to 141 markers.

That’s the answer to today’s poll, based on the information available in the Historical Markers Database. I want to thank all those who participated in the poll. It helped to establish an idea of what our perceptions are, regarding how little/how much interpretation exists, in monuments and markers, for USCTs.

But, hold on… that’s not all.

In addition to generating this list, I went a few steps further. Next, I began combing through each of the monuments/markers to identify the types of information found. I generated two classifications… the first “Subject”, where USCTs were the subject matter of the interpretation; the second was “Reference”, where USCTs were only referenced as a part of the overall interpretation. That said, if USCTs were only part, but made-up a substantial part of the information, I nudged the monument/marker up to the “Subject” category. Also, under the “Subject” category, I included markers in which the subjects were USCT veterans.

In all, there were sixty-five for “Subject”, and seventy-six for “Reference.” I should also add that I did not count duplicate markers, which seem to be a bit of a habit for Maryland (three or four in two different series). I only counted a replicated marker, once per series.

Where do monuments/markers dominate?

Virginia leads the way, withthirty-four, followed by Maryland (21), Pennsylvania (12), South Carolina (11), Tennessee (10), North Carolina (9), Connecticut (6), and Ohio (4). There are three each for D.C., Florida, Georgia, Indiana, and Delaware; two each for Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Mississippi, and Oklahoma; and one each for Arkansas, Arizona, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Texas, and West Virginia.

Who was responsible for making the monuments/markers possible?

With a total of sixty-eight, state organizations top those responsible for making these possible. I probably should have broken this down, however. After all, Virginia Civil War Trails, Maryland Civil War Trails, North Carolina Civil War Trails, and Pennsylvania Civil War Trails programs have been major facilitators for these markers. I classified them as “state”, but in reality, they are programs that work with smaller, private organizations. Having worked with it directly for a few years, I’m most familiar with the Virginia Civil War Trails program, from which all the others (excepting Pa. CW Trails) sprung forth. After “state” support, the following applies: local/county/city, 25; un-sourced (should probably be “unknown sources”), 16; federal (usually DOI/NPS), 15; other/private/veterans, 12; state/private partnerships, 2; county/private partnerships, 1; county/state partnerships, 1.

When were all of these monuments/markers placed?

By far, the 2000s have proved huge for USCT markers, with placement of 85; followed by the “undated” markers (which, from appearance, look like they came into play in the 2000s as well), 32; the 1990s, 9; the 1980s, 6… and the 1970s, 1. Before this, there were huge gaps between markers. The following shows the years before the 1970s… 1943 (1); 1933 (1); 1908 (1); 1887 (2); 1886 (1); 1868 (1); 1865 (1).

Where are the oldest USCT monuments/markers?

Connecticut has three of the oldest that reference USCTs! But… let’s not get ahead of ourselves… look at the list of all placed between 1865 and 1943…

Now, sure… these are all interesting stats, but… there’s one more part of this that I found disturbing.

Remarkably, there are several markers that should have reference to USCTs, but do not. What makes this even worse is that these markers should, at the very least, reference the units by name. While they aren’t snubbed in interpretive signage at places such as the Crater and New Market Heights, they are absent from other sites at which they fought and died… places like Olustee, Fl. (five markers, with no reference to the 54th Mass. and 35th USCT), Morris Island, S.C. (two markers that mention Battery Wagner, but nothing about the 54th and 55th Mass.), Tupelo, MS. (two battle of Tupelo markers with no reference to the USCT brigade there), and Honey Hill, S.C. (one marker, and no mention of the involvement of USCTs).

With this in mind, I have to reconsider my earlier position. It’s places like these that need to takeprioritybeforewe even think about how to weave the story of USCTs in places in which they were not. I mean, after all, how can we, in good conscience, begin to talk about them where they were not, when they aren’t even given proper recognition in places in which they fought, bled and died? Without giving these places our attention first, it speaks more of a greater failure in proper interpretation of the USCTs.

*Certainly, I may have slipped in my tallying of numbers. Let’s put it this way… I didn’t double-check the results. Still, I think they reflect accurately, based on percentages. Also, keep in mind, there may be other monuments and markers that have yet to make it to the Historical Markers Database… but I don’t think there can be that many, if any.

It’s good to see that USCT troops are getting increased public recognition in the South, which is where many likely would have come from. Obviously, this wasn’t a real possibility until the past two or three decades. Hopefully, this trend will continue, especially at the some of the sites you detailed.

About the raw numbers, keep in mind that while I wish we had 100% coverage, we don’t. There may well be markers in the field, referring to USCT, that we don’t have in the database. More go up every day. And we depend on volunteers to report them.

Still, I’d say the “sample data” is a good representation. In response to any reported “gaps” in the coverage…. well log on to the site and submit them!

Robert,
I have an example of a regional USCT monument that isn’t on the HMDB website (at least not that I found; I searched multiple ways). In 1991 a monument was dedicated to six USCTs buried in Sumner Cemetery in Cumberland, Md. As Mr. Swain says, anyone who lives in that area, or who will be travelling through, should get a picture and submit it!

In addition, unlike white soldiers, USCTs generally aren’t represented in national military cemeteries. Carol Reardon points out that there is only one buried at Gettysburg and none at Antietam (although someone has told me that she is wrong about Antietam, but I haven’t verified it). The graves of USCTs are scattered among public cemeteries that would accept them, and especialy in African-American church cemeteries, such as in the former Ebenezer African Methodist Espiscol Church cemetery in Hagerstown where another six are buried. In addition, usually only USCTs who got a headstone from the government have their markers engraved with “USCT.” I’ve recently done some research and found USCT inscriptions ranging from USCI (US Colored Infantry) to US C Inf, and other variations as well. The lack of standardization hurts identifying and recognizing the contribution of USCT troops as well.

I agree. Just as an example, there are only two (they were both locals) in Winchester Nat. Cem., and none that I can find in Staunton. As far as public cemeteries, however, well, that’s problematic too. I know of several USCTs in the Valley that don’t even show up on that radar, as they were generally buried in African-American cemeteries, which were primitively marked. I’ve yet to find a marker for a USCT in any of the African-American cemeteries in the Valley. For that matter, I suspect most weren’t marked with USCT service. The best I’ve found in this general area (needing to reach into the Cumberland Valley) is actually in Mercersburg, Pa. You mention Gettysburg… check out the Historical Markers Database, I think there were two “Lincoln Cemeteries” in that area (one in Gettysburg, and another elsewhere) which contain USCTs from that general area.

I love the HMDB (don’t we all?), but I wonder if it may be a bit biased toward the eastern states. In particular, I’m thinking about Kansas, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, where I’ve seen a good number of markers related to USCTs, but that didn’t seem to turn up in the search. Maybe an excuse for a road trip to do some cataloging…

Actually many USCTS are indeed marked at National cemeteries. A colleague and I have documented the USCT’s buried in NW Arkansas at the Little Rock National Cemetery, and Fort Smith Arkansas National Cemeteries. (Over 100 are buried in each.)
I also visited the Camp Nelson National Cemetery in Kentucky this June and there are dozens upon dozens of USCT buried there, and there are a few hundred USCTs buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis.
Chalmette National Cemetery in Louisiana has over 1000 USCTs buried there.
USCTs are among some of my special research activities and I also assist researchers by pulling USCT pension files when they are needed.
So please note that there are hundreds of USCTs in many of the nation’s National cemeteries.
If info or files are needed, I am happy to assist researchers.
**Angela Walton-Raji**AngelaW859@aol.com